Cheesefood
Well-Known Member
I can't decide whether or not I should carbonate my mead. Anyone want to sell me on why I shouldn't carbonate it?
Still or Bubbly?
- Thread starter Cheesefood
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God Emporer BillyBrew
Well-Known Member
Not me. I say carb.
BootYtRappeR
Well-Known Member
I'd say go with the flat, i think you will be able to experience the complexities of the mead more...but then again if you half carbed it, that would be nice too!
I don't associate carbonation with meads. In fact, I can't think of any occasion where I had a carbonated mead. Carbonation does tend to cover up certain flavors (ever have flat champagne?) or lack thereof, but I can't think of any reason not to carbonate.
BrewStef
Well-Known Member
I am going though the same debate with myself. I like both still and sparkling meads. I have heard that sparkling meads are best with lower starting-OG meads however.
My decision: do both. I am going to bottle carb half the batch.
Cheers!
BrewSTef
My decision: do both. I am going to bottle carb half the batch.
Cheers!
BrewSTef
NurseNan
Well-Known Member
Do some of both. Some of mine is carbed, some is still. I do prefer the lower ABV meads carbed, though, and same for Melomels.
alemonkey
Well-Known Member
I much prefer it sparkling, but I guess I'm just a sparkly kind of guy. 
Carbonating high gravity meads, or sweet meads is a tricky prospect.
With high gravity meads, you have to figure out how much "room" your yeast has. Is it going to carbonate, before the alcohol shuts it down? Is it going to have too much sugar, and blow the bottles up?
Now, with sweet meads, you have similar issues. How do I know how much more can this yeast do? How do I turn the yeast off?
I think, low gravity meads are much more suited to carbonation.
steve
With high gravity meads, you have to figure out how much "room" your yeast has. Is it going to carbonate, before the alcohol shuts it down? Is it going to have too much sugar, and blow the bottles up?
Now, with sweet meads, you have similar issues. How do I know how much more can this yeast do? How do I turn the yeast off?
I think, low gravity meads are much more suited to carbonation.
steve
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Cheesefood
Well-Known Member
skou said:
What about force carbonating it?
NurseNan
Well-Known Member
That's what I have planned for an experimental batch I'm working on....
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Cheesefood
Well-Known Member
skou said:
I'm just going to keg the mead. I'm hoping to be finished bottling. I **HATE** bottling.
